Gone Away ~ The journal of Clive Allen in America

The Fountain of Youth
23/06/2006

In his book, She, Henry Rider Haggard writes of a woman who had lived for thousands of years through immersion in the fabled fountain of youth. Although Haggard's version turns out to be a pillar of flame, it is clearly connected to the ancient legend of such a life-giving fountain.

These days we do not believe in the existence of such convenient physical phenomena, preferring to put our faith in the ministrations of modern science and medicine. Yet still the quest for extended life goes on. The extent of our desire to live forever is well demonstrated by the existence of that dubious science, cryonics.

Whilst not desiring to live any longer than my allotted time, I am amused slightly to discover that there is, after all, a way to stay young throughout our lives (I admit that this will not enable you to live forever). The fountain of youth exists and is available to everyone.

It's called "learning". As long as we continue to learn, we retain those qualities that define the term "young". Youth seeks energetically and always wants to know more; it's age that has closed the gates and decided to rest upon opinions formed to date. And such a cessation of change and growth can happen at any time in life; I'm sure we have all known young people whose minds are made up and their course set in stone.

The fact is that it's movement that is life. Dead things stay resolutely in one place and refuse to move. And, while we're still learning, we have no option but to amend and alter opinions and plans as new information is acquired; this is movement and life.

As we get older, our bodies start to crumble and decay. We may even become reduced to immobility in a physical sense. Yet, through disease or accident, this can happen to the young too; do we then say that they have become old? No, what defines youth is the activity of the mind, the ability to accommodate new concepts and to formulate new ideas.

I am sure that we have all known old people who have surprised us with their alertness of mind. Who has not heard tales of the 70-year-old granny who went back to college to earn a degree? It is no coincidence that we say of such people that they seem so young. They are.

So, if there is a fountain of youth at all, it is found in that most mundane of activities, learning. As long as we keep learning, we move forward and give evidence of life. Let us not be so quick to decide that we have all the answers, that now we know the truth. There is always something more that we don't know yet, something that might turn all our decisions on their heads.

And death itself? Well, I guess that is just the most obvious symptom of our growing tired of learning and wanting to rest...

Kurt
This closely mirrored some thinking I was doing the other day, actually. I'm currently working my way through 'Godel, Escher, and Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid', which can probably best be described as a 'tome of learning'. A co-worker at my company commented that he had ordered it a while ago and not gotten to it, and several of my college professors had recommended it; however, most of the people I know socially saw me lugging around a 700-page book, and pencil and paper to work out problems posed in the text, and pretty much invariably scoffed.

I think there's an interesting correlation between the fact that my professors are some of the happiest but most underpaid people I know, and that the people who scoff at the extra effort in learning generally are some of the unhappiest I know. I would bet good money that there's a significant correlation between happiness or life satisfaction and education.

I think the reason is that, at a certain point of education (and yes, this theory does match with the first few chapters of GEB), one begins to be able to make mental connections between things at a much higher rate. When you hit the point when you can think about ideas abstractly, creatively, and originally, is just going out and getting drunk such an important aspect of getting fun? (Note, here, that I am not advocating by word or example that we all become teetotalers.) I know in the past few years, my education has made me a much happier, and (I like to think) more complete person. Date Added: 23/06/2006

Way
Learning is certainly a blast for me. In the last hour I just learned two things, neither of which might ever serve me any monetary gain. Then again, who knows?

One was that most of the world's boron is found chiefly in the Mojave Desert of southern California.

The other suddenly becomes useful for a mere speck of a moment, but that is part of the blast I mentioned: I learned some new Kiwi-speak. Fin two stick, eye?

Now my own dear "meh" retired from being a gorgeous housewife at the age of 65 to take herself a nursing course. She then graduated at the top of the class as an LPN. A few years after that, mom went on to win second place in a wet tee shirt contest down in Can Cun, Mexico, or so she claimed.

Come to think of it, that is the one thing in life I wish I had never learned. Date Added: 23/06/2006

Gone Away
Kurt, what can I say? You are the living, breathing demonstration of the truth of my theory. There is indeed a point in time when learning becomes as important as eating and breathing and these are the things that keep us alive. Ignore the doubters and enjoy your 700 page book! Date Added: 23/06/2006

Gone Away
I am very proud of the fact that I managed to translate all of that Kiwi-speak, Way. Although I also admit that I have an unfair advantage in that all southern hemisphere accents seem to be of the same family.

Funnily enough, I had written this piece before I realized just how much of a tribute it is to you. Of all the people I know, you are the best example of one who is vibrantly alive through the daily ministrations of copious amounts of learning. And I speak not necessarily of the academic; the University of Life has just as much to teach us as any dusty tome. It seems to me that your "meh" was on the right track and raised herself a good un in you. ;) Date Added: 23/06/2006

Way
The fact that anyone could translate that gibberish is freaking amazing! I am more impressed that you are proud!

You know, I can see mom now, who, while reading your comment, works her jaw slightly from side to side and nods her head. Then at the end, she turns around to sneer at the room and feigns disgust with, "Pfft! He just said that because it was true."

Now you can be sure I seldom plug any movie, especially as I am a guest in your front room. But in regards to your "tribute to old Way", go out and find a copy of one called, "Waking Ned Devine". It somehow relates.

And, if you dislike even part of the experience, I shall go out and purchase a full page in the Hoohooville Blathsaphonic, and then have a local expert there write a nice apology addressed from me to you.

(Perhaps you know of David Kelly? Think Mr. O'Reilly, the fawning carpenter who assisted Mr. Faulty and built an awfully interesting door for his Towers.) Date Added: 23/06/2006

As for David Kelly, the name rings no bells, although I do have a memory of the door constructed for the erstwhile Mr Fawlty. I was always terrible with names, you know. ;) Date Added: 23/06/2006

Way
Picture Prunella Scales (if that is correct) shouting, "Basil! Call O'Reilly immediately and have him come around and fix that door immediately!", while Basil sweats as I die laughing. Date Added: 24/06/2006

Gone Away
I can hear her now, Way (and yes, that is correct). :) Date Added: 24/06/2006

Keeef
If learning = youth then surely the internet is the fabled fountain? The library would become the Kendall mint cake of the young and the Sun newspaper the treacle of death Date Added: 26/06/2006

Marti
I recently saw a news story about a 98 year old graduate!
Lovely post, as always. I apologize for not stopping by very often. I have two books ready to be published now and it has kept me terribly busy! Stop by - I always love hearing from you! Date Added: 26/06/2006

Gone Away
I'm also pretty busy with various projects at the moment, Marti, but I will stop by as soon as I can, I promise. :) Date Added: 26/06/2006

Fragile Industries
I agree totally with your view on learning. In the last few months spent on becoming a proto-computer-geek, I have rarely felt so alive. I don't think it matters much WHAT one is learning, unless it is a matter of learning cruelty, destructive habits, intolerance, or that sort of thing, which always reduces intelligence and then one might as well be dead.
I would only add one element to make it a HAPPY youth: a sense of humor. Perhaps that goes without saying, but it is the cornerstone of my existence. I'd rather be hopelessly uneducated and be able to laugh about it than have a fistful of advanced degrees and sour.
Good post. I may have even learned something. As I am within days of one of those awful birthdays with a zero after it, I need all the youth I can get. *smiles* Date Added: 27/06/2006

Gone Away
And I agree with you re the humor, Fragile - without humor, any amount of academic learning can be dry and dusty. I was thinking more in terms of the things we learn every day, where life is the teacher rather than any education establishment.

But have a happy birthday anyway! Remember, it's just a number - what matters is how you feel. Date Added: 27/06/2006

Mad
In my industry one must learn all the time. It's one of the reasons I like it. Date Added: 29/06/2006

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